Business Talent: Permanent Business Visa to Australia

To be eligible for the permanent Business Talent (Migrant) Visa to Australia, you will need to fulfil the following requirements:

• You have been sponsored by a State/Territory government;
• Had an overall successful business career;
• For at least 2 of the last 4 fiscal years immediately before the application is made, you had an ownership interest in a main business, or main businesses (2), with an annual turnover of at least A$3million (each year);
• For at least 2 of the last 4 fiscal years immediately before the application is made, you (or you and your spouse together) have net assets in a qualifying business (in which you held an ownership interest) of at least A$400,000;
• Your business and personal assets (including your spouse) have a net value of at least A$1.5million which are available for the conduct or establishment of a business in Australia and are lawfully acquired and available for transfer to Australia within 2 years of the grant of your visa;
• You are aged less than 55 at time of application, or you are proposing to establish or participate in a business that your sponsoring State/Territory has determined is of exceptional economic benefit to the State/Territory;
• Neither you or your spouse has a history of involvement in business or investment activities of a nature not generally acceptable in Australia;
• You have a genuine and realistic commitment to establish or participate actively in a qualifying business in Australia and to maintain and hold a substantial ownership level.

The Australian Business Visa Program encourages successful business owners, investors and senior executives to settle in Australia while developing new or existing opportunities in Australian business. This is the route to take to emigrate to Australia if you are a business owner or senior executive within a business.

There are 2 pathways for Business Skills entry to Australia

• As a Provisional Visa holder with eligibility for permanent residence after establishing a business in Australia; or
• Direct Permanent Residence for high calibre business applicants sponsored by a State/Territory government.

Business migrants taking the first pathway must undergo a 2-stage progression to obtain residency. As such, visa holders are first granted a Business Skills (Provisional) Visa for 4 years and, after establishing the requisite level of business or maintaining their suitable investment, will be eligible to make an application for a Business Skills (Residence) Visa.

The second pathway leading to direct permanent residence is only open to high-calibre business migrants sponsored by a State/Territory government. This category of emigrating to Australia is known as the Business Talent Visa (see below).

The Business Skills Program is divided into 4 categories

• Business Owner
  Category for owners or part-owners of a business;
• Senior Executive
  Category for senior executive employees of major businesses;
• Investor
  Category for investors/business people willing to invest in Australia; and
• High-Calibre Business People
  Business Talent category for high-calibre business people who have sponsorship from a State/Territory government